Light lock arrangement

ABSTRACT

A light lock arrangement for a photographic film container wherein the container comprises body and cover members arranged to mate in sealing engagement with a peripheral wall portion having a film dispensing slot therethrough. The body and cover members have substantially parallel planar inner wall surfaces spaced apart a first distance slightly greater than the width of the roll of the photographic film. The light lock arrangement comprises a first lip member connected to and extending substantially perpendicularly from one of the inner wall surfaces immediately adjacent one side of the film dispensing slot. A second lip member is connected to and extends substantially perpendicularly from the other of the inner wall surfaces immediately adjacent the other side of the film dispensing slot. The lip members extend along the inner wall surfaces from the film dispensing slot in substantially parallel spaced relationship for a major portion of their length and diverge at the end thereof remote from the film dispensing slot. The lip members have a length perpendicular to the respective inner wall surfaces slight less than the distance between said inner wall surfaces. Means is arranged on each of the inner wall surfaces adjacent thelip member extending outwardly therefrom to form a recess arranged to guide and align the end of the lip member extending from the opposite inner wall surface. A layer of pile material is connected to the surface of a least one of the lip members adjacent the film dispensing slot with the layer of pile material covering substantially all of that surface of that lip member and extending around the end thereof remote from said respective inner wall surfaces. Thus, the pile material is expanded to fill the space between the lip members as the respective lip member fits within the recess on the opposite inner wall surface.

United States Patent Rissherger, Jr.

I54! LIGHT LOCK ARRANGEMENT [72] inventor: Arthur C. Rissherger,Jr.,Webster,

[73] Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY.

[22] Filed: Oct. 30, 1970 [21] Appl. N0.: 85,350

Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Michael L. Gellner Attorney-Walter O. Hodsdon and Robert L. Randall [57] ABSTRACT A light lock arrangement for a photographic film container wherein the container comprises body and cover members arranged to mate in sealing engagement with a peripheral wall portion having a film dispensing slot therethrough. The body and cover members have substantially parallel planar inner wall surfaces spaced apart a first distance slightly greater [15] 3,682,074 51 Aug. 8, 1972 than the width of the roll of the photographic film. The light lock arrangement comprises a first lip member connected to and extending substantially perpendicularly from one of the inner wall surfaces immediately adjacent one side of the film dispensing slot. A second lip member is connected to and extends substantially perpendicularly from the other of the inner wall'surfaces immediately adjacent the other side of the film dispensing slot. The lip members extend along the inner wall surfaces from the film dispensing slot in substantially parallel spaced relationship for a major portion of their length and diverge at the end thereof remote from the film dispensing slot. The lip members have a length perpendicular to the respective inner wall surfaces slight less than the'distance between said inner wall surfaces. Means is arranged on each of the inner wall surfaces adjacent thelip member extending outwardly therefrom to form a recess arranged to guide and align the end of the lip member extending from the opposite inner wall surface. A layer of pile material is connected to the surface of a least one of the lip members adjacent the film dispensing slot with the layer of pile material covering substantially all of that surface of that lip member and extending around the end thereof remote from said respective inner wall surfaces. Thus, the pile material is expanded to fill the space between the lip members as the respective lip member fits within the recess on the opposite inner wall surface.

7 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures I/I II LIGHT LOCK ARRANGEMENT BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Many web products are packaged in and dispensed from disposable containers or cartridges which provide the requisite protection for the web during shipment and storage as well as functioning as a dispenser for the web during use. Such disposable containers or cartridges will protect the web product from physical damage as well as exposure to atmospheric conditions. Such cartridges will also protect light sensitive web products, such as photographic film or paper, from exposure to light until the web is to be used. While in some instances such light sensitive web products are removed from the cartridge or container for insertion into the exposing apparatus such as a camera, it is quite advantageous to utilize the protective container or cartridge as a supply chamber to feed the camera directly.

When such a container or cartridge is used to dispense a light sensitive product, it must be provided with a dispensing slot which is equipped with a light lock that permits the withdrawal of the web product from the container and yet prohibits the entrance of light to the interior of the container which would prematurely expose the light sensitive web product. As a result, many types of light locks have been devised which have proved more or less satisfactory for dispensing film from a container while excluding light from the interior thereof. The most common example of such a light lock utilizes a passage formed by a pair of opposed surfaces which are covered with a plushslot is formed in the connecting wall member with a first lip member connected to and extending from the first wall member adjacent one side of the web dispensing slot towards the second wall member and a second lip member connected to and extending from the second wallmember adjacent the other side of the web dispensing slot towards the first wall member. The lip members have a length from the respective wall members slightly less than the distance between the wall members. A layer of resilient light lock material is connected to the surface of at least one lip member adjacent the web dispensing slot. The layer of resilient light lock material extends around the end of the lip member remote from the respective wall member whereby the resilient light lock material is expanded to fill the space between the lip members by the abutment of the lip member against the opposed wall member.

like pile fabric which permit the passage of the film therethrough and yet prevent light from entering the interior of the container. Many of these light lock constructions are sufiiciently simple and inexpensive to permit their use in a disposable container.

It has been found, however, that simple, inexpensive light locks of the type described above have certain drawbacks that limit their use and acceptability as well as increase their initial cost. For example, it has been found that light locks using surfaces having a pile material connected thereto occassionally admit light to the interior of the container along the lateral edges of Furthermore, the present invention provides a light lock arrangement wherein both lip members are provided with a layer of light lock material. The lip members are also provided with ends remote from the dispensing slot which diverge from each other-to provide a guide to facilitate the entry of the web into the light lock.

More specifically, the present invention provides a light lock arrangement for a disposable photographic film container wherein the container comprises body and cover members arranged to mate in sealing engagement with a peripheral wall portion having a film dispensing slot therethrough. The body and cover members have substantially parallel planar inner wall surfaces spaced apart a first distance slightly greater than the width of the roll of the photographic film. The light lock arrangement comprises a first lip member connected to and extending substantially perpendicularly from one of the inner wall surfaces immediately adjacent one side of the film dispensing slot. A second lip member is connected to and extends substantially perpendicularly from the other of the inner wall surfaces immediately adjacent the other side of the film the film. It has also been found that, with a simple construction such as described above, when the containers are assembled the pile material will inadvertently be scraped from a portion of one surface as the opposing surface is slid into position and will plug the dispensing slot preventing the film from passing therethrough and/or will not provide the requisite light-excluding protection.

Accordingly, it will be seen that a light lock arrangement which is simple and inexpensive and yet which can be quickly and easily assembled without the risk of obstructing the dispensing slot or preventing the desired light exclusion and which, at the same time, assures the exclusion of light from along the edges of film, will be extremely desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a light lock arrangement for the passage of a web wherein the light lock comprises substantially opposed spaced first and second wall members and a third wall member connecting the opposed wall members. A web dispensing dispensing slot. The lip members extend along the inner wall surfaces from the film dispensing slot in substantially parallel spaced relationship for a major portion of their length and diverge at the end thereof remote from the film dispensing slot. The lip members have a length perpendicular to the respective inner wall surfaces slightly less than the distance between said inner wall surfaces. Means is arranged on each of the inner wall surfaces adjacent the lip member extending outwardly therefrom to form a recess arranged to guide and align the end of the lip member extending from the opposite inner wall surface. A layer of pile material is connected to the surface of each lip member adjacent the film dispensing slot with the layers of pile material covering substantially all of that surface of the lip members and extending around the ends thereof remote from said respective inner wall surfaces. Thus, the pile material is expanded to fill the space between the lip members as the respective lip member fits within the recess on the opposite inner wall surface.

The various features of novelty which characterize the present invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects obtained by its use, reference should be had to the ac companying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated and described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a film container incorporating a preferred embodiment of the light lock according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged plan view of the light lock in the bottom portion of the container illustrated in FIG. 1;'

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged plan view of the light lock portion in the top portion of the container illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the light lock taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the Figures, a container or cartridge for a roll of light sensitive material, such as photographic film 12, is illustrated. .The cartridge illustrated is formed of an opaque, relatively inexpensive plastic material which permits the cartridge to be discarded when the supply of film has been exhausted. The cartridge is formed from the plastic material in a conventional manner such as by injection molding or thermo-forming. In the embodiment illustrated, the cartridge is formed of a body portion or member 14 having a side wall 15 and a peripheral wall 16. A top or cover portion or member 17 having a side wall 18 is arranged to fit on the open side of the body portion .14 after the roll of film is inserted therein; A film dispensing slot 19 opens through the peripheral wall 16 of the cartridge and permits the film to be pulled from the supply roll within the cartridge. The cartridge illustrated is arranged to be connected directly to the camera or other film-exposing apparatus in a light-tight manner so that the film is fed directly from the cartridge to the camera without being exposed to light. However, since the cartridge is utilized to ship and store the film prior to usage, it is necessary to provide the film dispensing slot with a light lock which prevents light from entering the cartridge to expose the film therein. At the same time, it is necessary for the light lock to function without damaging the surface of the film as it is drawn through the dispensing slot for use.

The light lock arrangement of the present invention is comprised of a first lip or tongue member 20 which extends perpendicularly from the inner surface of side wall 15 of the body member 14, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The lip member extends inwardly from the outer peripheral wall 16 of the cartridge body member 14 adjacent the film dispensing slot 19. The lip member 20 has a substantially planar film guiding surface 22, extending for a substantial portion of the length thereof towards the center of the cartridge, and terminates in a diverging, curved portion 23 at the inner end thereof. The lip member has a length perpendicular to the inner surface of the cartridge wall 15 slightly less than the distance between the opposing cartridge inner wall surfaces 15 and 18. A relatively short, recess-forming flange 24 is formed along the inner wall surface 15 and extends from the curved end 23 of the lip member to the opface of wall 18 substantially equal to that of lip member 20, i.e., slightly less than the distance between the opposing cartridge inner wall surfaces, 15 and 18. The lip member 26 is substantially similar to lip member 20 and extends from the film dispensing slot 19 towards the center of the cartridge, and has a substantially planar film-guiding surface 27 for a major portion of the length thereof and a diverging curved end portion .29. A relatively short, recess-forming flange 28 is formed along the inner wall surface 18 and extends from the curved end 29 of the lip member to the opposite side of the film dispensing slot 19. The recessforming flange 28 is spaced opposite the film guiding surface 27 of lip member a distance greater than the thickness of the lip member.

A layer of resilient, soft, light lock material, such as a pile material, e.g., plush or velvet, or a layer of plastic foam, is attached to substantially the entire film guiding surfaces 22 and 27 of lip members 20 and 26. Each layer of light lock material extends fromthe base of the lip member, adjacent the inner wall of the cartridge, the full length of the lip member perpendicular to the inner wall and" around the outer end of the lip member to the rear surface thereof. As is well known in the art, the light lock material has sufficient resilience that it will expand to fill the entire film dispensing slot and yet has a non-abrasive surface that will not damage the film as it is pulled therethrough.

Referring now to FIG. 4, it will be seen that the light lock construction of the present invention provides an arrangement which assures the maximum protection against entry of light along the film through the dispensing slot. The length of the lip members perpendicularto the inner wall surfaces of the cartridge is less than the distance between the opposing inner wall surfaces by an amount just less than the thickness of the layer of light lock material, Thus, as the body and cover portions of the cartridge body are assembled, and the ends of the lip members 20 and 26 are fed within the recesses formed by flanges 24 and 28 on the opposite inner wall surfaces, the layers of light lock material which extend over the ends of the lip members are compressed by engagement with the opposed inner wall surfaces and are expanded to assure the fonnation of a light lock at the lateral edges of the film l2. 7

A further advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that relative movement between the lip members as the cartridge is assembled will not tend to peel the layers of light lock material from the surfaces thereof, since the light lock material extends over the end of and is secured to the rear portion of each lip member so that there is no exposed edge of the light lock material at the end of the lip member which can be caught by the opposite lip member.

Referring back to FIG. 2, wherein the position of lip member 26 is shown in phantom, it will be seen that the diverging curved end portions, 23 and 29, of the ends of lip members assures that the film can easily enter the light lock from the supply roll without engaging or being damaged by the inner edge of the light lock material. This results in a substantial reduction in the potential damage that can be done to the film surface by the light lock construction.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a light lock arrangement which is simple and inexpensive. It assures that light protection is provided at the edges of the film and it substantially minimizes the possibility that the light lock material will be disengaged from the lip member or will be buckled during assembly with the attendant loss of light protection. Still further, the present invention provides a light lock arrangement which eliminates the necessity for precisely cutting the light lock material since no bare edges are exposed to the displacing action of opposing cartridge components during assembly of the film cartridge. As a result, the manufacturing costs of the cartridge are minimized. i

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

lclaim:

l. A light lock arrangement for the passage of a web, said light lock comprising substantially opposed spaced first and second wall members and a third wall member connecting said opposed wall members, a web dispensing slot formed in said connecting wall member, a first lip member connected to and extending from said first wall member adjacent one side of said web dispensing slot towards said second wall member, a second lip member connected to and extending from said second wall member adjacent the other side of said web dispensing slot towards said first wall member, said lip members having a length from the respective wall members slightly less than the distance between said wall members, and a layer of resilient light lock material connected to the surface of at least one lip member adjacent said web dispensing slot, said layer of resilient light lock material extending around the end of said lip member remote from the respective wall member whereby said resilient light lock material is expanded to fill the space between said lip members by the abutment of said lip member against the opposed wall member.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein a layer of resilient light lock material is connected to the surface of both said lip members.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the combined length of the lip member and the thickness of the light lock material is slightly greater than the distance between said opposed spaced wall members.

4. The invention according to claim 1 including recess-forming means disposed alongthe inner surface of one of said opposed wall members adjacent said lip member, said recess arranged to engage and guide the end of the lip member extending from the opposed wall member.

5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said lip members extend along said wall members from said web dispensing slot in substantially parallel spaced relationship for a major portion of their length and diverge at the end thereof remote from said web dispensing slot.

6. A light lock arrangement for a light-sensitive web container, said container comprising substantially opposed wall members and a wall member connecting said opposed wall members, a web dispensing slot formed in said connecting wall member, said opposed wall members having substantially parallel planar inner wall surfaces spaced apart a first distance, said light lock arrangement comprising a first lip member connected to and extending from one of said inner wall surfaces adjacent one side of said web dispensing slot, a second lip member connected to and extending from the other of said inner wall surfaces adjacent the other side of said web dispensing slot, said lip members having a length from the respective inner wall surfaces slightly less than said first distance between said inner wall surfaces, and a layer of resilient light lock material connected to the surface of at least one lip member ad- 25 jacent said web dispensing slot, said layer of resilient light lock material covering substantially all of said surface of said lip member and extending around the end thereof remote from the respective inner wall surface whereby said resilient light lock material is expanded to fill the space between said lip members when said inner wall surfaces are spaced apart said first distance.

7. A light lock arrangement for a photographic film container, said container comprising body and cover members arranged to mate in sealing engagement about a roll of photographic fihn to be contained therein, said container having a peripheral wall portion having a film dispensing slot therethrough, said body and cover members having substantially parallel planar inner wall surfaces spaced apart a first distance slightly greater than the width of the roll of said photographic film, said light lock arrangement comprising a first lip member connected to and extending substantially perpendicularly from one of said inner wall surfaces immediately adjacent one side of said film dispensing slot, a second lip member connected to and extending substantially perpendicularly from the other of said inner wall surfaces immediately adjacent the other side of said fihn dispensing slot, said lip members extending along said inner wall surfaces from said fihn dispensing slot in substantially parallel spaced relationship for a major portion of their length and diverging apart at the end thereof remote from said film dispensing slot, said lip members having a length perpendicular to the respective inner wall surfaces slightly less than said first distance between said inner wall surfaces, means arranged on each of said inner wall surfaces adjacent the respective lip member extending outward therefrom to form a recess arranged to guide and align the end of the lip member extending from the opposite inner wall surface, and a layer of pile material connected to the surface of each lip member adjacent said film dispensing slot, said layers of pile material covering substantially all of said surfaces of said lip members and extending around the ends thereof remote from said respective inner wall surfaces whereby said pile material is expanded to fill the space between said lip members as said lip membexs fit within said recess on said opposite inner wall surfaces. 

1. A light lock arrangement for the passage of a web, said light lock comprising substantially opposed spaced first and second wall members and a third wall member connecting said opposed wall members, a web dispensing slot formed in said connecting wall member, a first lip member connected to and extending from said first wall member adjacent one side of said web dispensing slot towards said second wall member, a second lip member connected to and extending from said second wall member adjacent the other side of said web dispensing slot towards said first wall member, said lip members having a length from the respective wall members slightly less than the distance between said wall members, and a layer of resilient light lock material connected to the surface of at least one lip member adjacent said web dispensing slot, said layer of resilient light lock material extending around the end of said lip member remote from the respective wall member whereby said resilient light lock material is expanded to fill the space between said lip members by the abutment of said lip member against the opposed wall member.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein a layer of resilient light lock material is connected to the surface of both said lip members.
 3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the combined length of the lip member and the thickness of the light lock material is slightly greater than the distance between said opposed spaced wall members.
 4. The invention according to claim 1 including recess-forming means disposed along the inner surface of one of said opposed wall members adjacent said lip member, said recess arranged to engage and guide the end of the lip member extending from the opposed wall member.
 5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said lip members extend along said wall members from said web dispensing slot in substantially parallel spaced relationship for a major portion of their length and diverge at the end thereof remote from said web dispensing slot.
 6. A light lock arrangement for a light-sensitive web container, said container comprising substantially opposed wall members and a wall member connecting said opposed wall members, a web dispensing slot formed in said connecting wall member, said opposed wall members having substantially parallel planar inner wall surfaces spaced apart a first distance, said light lock arrangement comprising a first lip member connected to and extending from one of said inner wall surfaces adjacent one side of said web dispensing slot, a second lip member connected to and extending from the other of said inner wall surfaces adjacent the other side of said web dispensing slot, said lip members having a length from the respective inner wall surfaces slightly less than said first distance between said inner wall surfaces, and a layer of resilient light lock material connected to the surface of at least one lip member adjacent said web dispensing slot, said layer of resilient light lock material Covering substantially all of said surface of said lip member and extending around the end thereof remote from the respective inner wall surface whereby said resilient light lock material is expanded to fill the space between said lip members when said inner wall surfaces are spaced apart said first distance.
 7. A light lock arrangement for a photographic film container, said container comprising body and cover members arranged to mate in sealing engagement about a roll of photographic film to be contained therein, said container having a peripheral wall portion having a film dispensing slot therethrough, said body and cover members having substantially parallel planar inner wall surfaces spaced apart a first distance slightly greater than the width of the roll of said photographic film, said light lock arrangement comprising a first lip member connected to and extending substantially perpendicularly from one of said inner wall surfaces immediately adjacent one side of said film dispensing slot, a second lip member connected to and extending substantially perpendicularly from the other of said inner wall surfaces immediately adjacent the other side of said film dispensing slot, said lip members extending along said inner wall surfaces from said film dispensing slot in substantially parallel spaced relationship for a major portion of their length and diverging apart at the end thereof remote from said film dispensing slot, said lip members having a length perpendicular to the respective inner wall surfaces slightly less than said first distance between said inner wall surfaces, means arranged on each of said inner wall surfaces adjacent the respective lip member extending outward therefrom to form a recess arranged to guide and align the end of the lip member extending from the opposite inner wall surface, and a layer of pile material connected to the surface of each lip member adjacent said film dispensing slot, said layers of pile material covering substantially all of said surfaces of said lip members and extending around the ends thereof remote from said respective inner wall surfaces whereby said pile material is expanded to fill the space between said lip members as said lip members fit within said recess on said opposite inner wall surfaces. 